Nearly a thousand  Sierra Leoneans turned up at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza outside the United Nations yesterday to demonstrate support for President Ernest Bai Koroma who was attending the International Post-Ebola Recovery Conference at the UN.

President Koroma himself was hailed and cheered off by the crowd when he popped up briefly  at the rally to demonstrate his appreciation, though as should be expected , the U.S Secret Service did not support the idea of him alighting from his vehicle. Back at his hotel, President Koroma said he was delighted at what he saw and while thanking Ambassador Bockarie Stevens , other diplomats , the APC-USA and Sierra Leoneans  for their efforts in organizing the rally, asked the Ambassador to pass on his appreciation to everybody involved.

THE DEMONSTRATION BEGINS GAINING MOMENTUM

The demonstration was organized by the SIERRA LEONEANS FOR PEACE Standing With President Ernest Koroma.   Some government officials in the U.S. and Sierra Leone, the APC Chapters   and  members of the pro-government media  also share in the success of the demonstration. The media, especially , deserve commendation , because they helped to publicize it in the social media. The purpose of the demonstration was to show the world that Sierra Leoneans still hold President Koroma in high esteem for what he has done and continues to do for the nation .

THE CROWD OF DEMONSTRATORS ON THE OTHER SIDE  SPILLS INTO THE STREET AFTER PRESIDENT KOROMA’S MOTORCADE ARRIVED

 

By 7 am, busloads of demonstrators from different parts of the country had started arriving at the plaza. While only three demonstrators representing the so-called Concerned Sierra Leoneans were seen siting down glum at the much smaller plaza up the road , the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza filled up rapidly. There was a brass band available to provide music, and yesterday the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Mr. Mustapha  Bai Attila , demonstrated his awesome talent by using the keyboards of the band to help provide music and entertain the teaming demonstrators.

The demonstrators carried banners praising President Koroma for his socio-economic and political developments and for his outstanding leadership in the fight against Ebola.

This time, the so-called Concerned Sierra Leoneans , a dissident group seeking to destroy the country’s good name abroad and cause a strangulation of the economy, could not muster more than 30 people at their own demonstration up the street. The attendance at their rally was so poor that members of that group even started coming down the street to spy at the pro-government demonstrators who had a massive crowd.

“We showed them this time who are the masters “, said many demonstrators who traveled from different states to attend the pr-Ernest Koroma rally.

Then , when the International Post-Ebola Recovery Conference ended, it concluded with victory for President Ernest Koroma as millions of dollars were pledged to the country’s ebola fight and recovery. Many speakers at the meeting said their countries or organizations were committing such funds to Sierra Leone because they were impressed with President Koroma’s leadership and transparency.

AMBASSADOR STEVENS AT THE DEMONSTRATION . ON THE LEFT WITH BACK TURNED IS INFORMATION MINISTER ALPHA KANU

MR. FODAY MANSARAY OF NEW JERSEY AND MR. UNISA KANU OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA

 

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN AJIBU JALLOH AND MINISTER KANU JOIN THE CROWD TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM 

 

MR. BOBSON KAMARA AT THE DEMONSTRATION ABOUT TO BUY SOFT DRINKS TO COOL HIMSELF DOWN 

 

DEMONSTRATORS SURGING TO RECEIVE PRESIDENT KOROMA’S MOTORCADE 

AT THE DEMONSTRATION : DR. SYLVIA BLYDEN, MR. MOHAMED BARRIE, MR. ALPHA KANU AND REV. KABS KANU

 

FORMER CHAIRMAN OF APC-NA OSMAN T. CONTEH AND ABIE BANGALIE-MANSARAY DEMONSTRATING

FROM LEFT : THE APC CHIEF OF PHILADELPHIA, MR. KEBBIE TURAY; ABDUL SESAY OF BOSTON AND THE NEW JERSEY APC PRESIDENT MR. PAVI JALLOH

COOLING OFF FROM THE HOT SUN : CHAIRMAN OF APC-USA , IBRAHIM KAMARA , VICE-PRESIDENT OF APC NJ, MR. ABDUL KAMARA AND YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT

 A PROFOUND TRUTH IN PLACARD CARRIED BY KADI JALLOH ( KJ) OF NEW JERSEY

THE APC NEW YORK CHIEF, MR. SAM GBALO KOROMA IS SEEN HERE SECOND FROM RIGHT. RIGHT IS ABDUL SESAY OF BOSTON WHILE THE OTHER TWO GENTLEMEN ARE INFORMATION MINISTER ALPHA KANU AND DEPUTY GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN AGIBU JALLOH

FROM LEFT : MR. FODAY MANSARAY, MR. IBRAHIM SEI FROM BOSTON AND INFORMATION MINISTER ALPHA KANU

 

MR. MOHAMED FOFANAH , ALAIS PA. YAMBA LAWYER (THIRD FROM LEFT )DEMONSTRATING WITH OTHER SIERRA LEONEANS